Fluid drive



SePt- 18, 1945. 'ca R. ERlcsON ErAL 2,335,263

FLUID pRIvE Filed May 21, 1941 Flo.

` ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1945 vr" i.. i

sPA'rsr orrios FLUID DRIVE George R. Ericson, Kirkwood, and lrven E. Coirey, Normandy, Mo.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to iluld drives and particularly to those having a pair of vane or turbine wheels, together dening a chamber containing oil or similar operating huid.y Previous devices of this character have been subject tothe diiiiculty caused by the dragging of the tur' bine wheels at low speeds, whereas, it is desirable that the wheels become completely free and disengaged when the speed of rotation drops below a predetermined rate. Attempts have been made to eliminate this dragging by withdrawing the fluid from between the turbine wheels, but devices for this purpose have not been entirely successful, and itis an object of this invention to vproduce a new and improved uid drive, together with a new and improved method and means oi withdrawing the huid from between the turbine wheels.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent upon consideration of the following description, claims, and accompanyingdrawing.-

Referring to the drawing,

Figure l. isa somewhat diagrammatic, longitudinal section of our improved duid drive showing the parts in the msitions which they occupy at high speeds when the clutch or drive is en-- gaged.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l., but show.. ing the parte in the positions they occupy when the drive is disengaged. i

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line il-ii oi Figure i.4

The reference numeral i indicates a housing which is attached to a prime mover (not shown) which may be an automotive internal combustion engine. It will be understood that the engine is attached at the left of Figures l and 2, whiie the transmission housing 2 is at the opposite end of the housing. Power shaft 3 is connected to the engine and carries a rotary main casing d which contains the driving impeller 5' and also the driven turbine i. 'I'hese rotors are of known construction, but for a more detailed showing, reference is had to United States Patents No. v1,199,359, 1,199,360, 1,199,364 and 2,179,520.

The impeller 5 is attached to a flange 'I4 on Athe end oi the shaft 3 and rotates as a unit with the shaft and the housing l, while the' turbine t is rotatably mounted in the housing d and in the end of the shaft 3 by means ci suitable ball cover member i I attached to the rotor housing i.

The rotor housing contains aplurality of float chambers or cylinders I2 in which are mounted the floats or pistons I3. These floats are not necessarily iltted to the members i2 in such a manner as to prevent leakage, as the principle of operation is not dependent on the prevention of leakage at this point.

The pistons I3 are connected to a slidable member Il by means of connecting rods I5 havlng wrist vpins st I6 and Il, respectively. The member I4 is slidable on the shaft 9, but keys it may be provided to prevent relative rotation between pistons i3 and the shaftyif desired. A strong spring It ls mounted between the flange 1 at the end of the shaft i and the slidable member N. This spring is strong enough to overcome the centrifugal force of the pistons iii when the operating speed is below the speed at which the clutch or drive is desired to be engaged.

It will be understood that the housing is supplied with at least suiilcient oil to cause theime peller 5 and turbine t to be completely filled when the parts are in theposltion shown in Fiilure 1. However, when the pistons it are with.. drawn, the capacity of the cylinders it is sumcient to receive substantially all the oil contained in the rotor chambers so that the oil may be completely withdrawn therefrom.

Tle chambers or cylinders l2 are locatedv slightly more distantly from the center of rotation than the rotor or baille chambers 5 and B, so that the oil will naturally tend to ow from the rotor chambers to the chambers I2 by centrifugal force whenever the pistons I3 are withdrawn. it being understood that suitable passages 29 are formed to connect the periphery of the turbine housing with the chambers I2.

In operation, the spring Il holds the pistons or iloats Il in the positions shown in Figure 2 while the device is at rest and until the speed of rotation imparts sutl'lcient centrifugal force to the floats I3 to cause them to move outwardly the rotor housing. The speed of rotation at which 'bearings d `and s, respectively. A packing gland iii is provided to prevent the escape of oil or other duid from the rotor housing. it being understood thatthe turbine t is enclosed by a -the rotor housing is filled may be controlled by the strength of the spring I9 and by the weight of the pistons or iloats I3, but for normal automotive use lthe rotor housing should be filled at speeds between 400'and 500 R. P, M. When the rotor housing is filled, the drive is engaged, although a completeengegement of the drive does not occur until the speed is still further inis necessary to prevent the creased. It is also understood that some slippage is always necessary with this type of drive.

While the terni "piston" has been used in connection with the members i8 'and while these members should be guided with accuracy by the walls oi the chambers or cylinders iii to maintain a proper balance of the device, it should be understood that some leakage past these pistons retention of oil inthe inner part of the housing while the vdevice is operated. Normally sumcient leakage past the walls of the pistons to taire care of this will occur, but the skirts 2i oi the pistons should be provided with drain holes 22 to prevent oil from being retained inside the pistons. f

We claim:

l. In a iiuid drive mechanism, e rotary housing member, means forming a rotor chamber in said housing, and an impellerin said chamber, means forming a, uuid chamber in said housing, at least a portion oi said chamber being more distantly spaced from the axis than the main portion of the rotor chamber whereby operating fluid will tend to flow from said rotor chamber to said iuid chamber through a conduit connected to the outer periphery of the rotor chamber by centrifugal i'orce, a duid displacing device having a volume equal to the volume of the fluid which is to be displaced movable into said uid chamber to cause duid to be forced into said rotor chamber and withdrawable from said uid chamber to permit the return oi iiuid from said rotor chamber to said uid chamber by centrifusaid duid chamber when a predetermined sal action, and speed responsive means for causing said fluid displacing device to be moved into speed is exceeded and withdrawn therefrom nt lower speeds.

2. In a uid drive mechanism, a rotor chamber containing an impeller and a turbine, a iiuid receiving chamber mounted more distantly from the axis of rotation than said rotor chamber is mounted, and means for positively urging the operating huid from one oi said chambers to the other in accordance with the speed oi rotation through a conduit connected to the outer periphery of the rotor chamber, said means comprising iduid displacing members having a combined volume equal to the volume o the iuid which is all the oil contained in the rotor chambers.

3. in a uid drive mechanism, a rotonchomber containing an impeller and a turbine, a duid receiving chamber mounted more distantly from the axis o' rotation than said rotor chamber is mounted, and means for shifting the operating uid from one of saldi chambers to the other in accordance with the speed of rotation through a conduit-connected to the outer periphery oi 'the rotor chamber, said means including a plurality of radially movable fluid displacing members having a combined volume equal to the volume oi all of the uid contained in the rotor chambers constructed and arranged to be moved by cen trifugal force into said fluid receiving chamber.

GEOME R. MICSON. m'VEN E'. COFFEE?. 

